Coke handling apparatus



Aug. 17, 1965 J. H. KROMER 3,200,970

COKE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 11. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l UllfillfillllflfillIIHIIHHII INVENTOR. JoH/v fl. KEG/75E.

8 BY g a 7- rORA/ED.

1965 0 J. H. KROMER 3,200,970

COKE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 arrafi Ly 7, 1965 J. H. KROMER 3,200,970

COKE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 11. 1964 4 sheets sheet 3 INVENTOR. JOHN H. KRo/vrs a.

Aug. 17, 1965 .1. H. KROMER COKE HANDLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 11, 1964 INVENTOR. JOHN H. KEG/WEE 5 J MZLQ' his 67 7- 7-0 EA E Y United States Patent 3,299,970 CGKE HANDLHNG APPARATUS John. H. Kromer, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to Koppers Company, 1519., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 11, 1964, gar. No. 366,521 6 (Ilaims. (Cl. 2i41'7) This invention relates generally to coke handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for selectively bed. The coke wharf has a series of gates adjacent the lower edge that retains the coke on the wharf. The coke remains on the wharf until it has cooled for further processing and is thereafter transferred from the wharf onto a longitudinally extending endless conveyor belt positioned beneath the lower edge of the Wharf. The cooled coke is transferred to the endless conveyor belt by selectively opening the coke wharf gates and permitting the coke restrained by the respective gates to flow by gravity onto the endless conveyor belt positioned therebeneath. The conveyor belt carries the coke from the coke Wharf to a screening station where the coke is screened and thereafter stored.

In the past it has been the practice to manually operate the coke wharf gates to discharge the coke from preselected locations on the coke wharf onto the conveyor belt positioned therebeneath. Means for automating the actuation of the coke wharf gates have been proposed.

In copending application entitled Automatically Operated and Protected Coke Handling Apparatus, Serial No. 197,037, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is disclosed apparatus for mechanically opening each of the wharf gates by an actuating mechanism associated with each gate. The invention herein disclosed is an improvement of the apparatus disclosed in the above copending application.

Briefly, the invention herein disclosed includes a gate actuator device that is movable longitudinally relative to the coke wharf adjacent the series of coke wharf gates. The gate actuator device is arranged to selectively open the coke wharf gates and discharge the coke from preselected locations on the coke wharf onto the moving endless belt conveyor positioned below the lower edge of the coke wharf. The gate actuator device has a remotely actuated movable arm member that engages a portion of the respective coke oven gate opening mechanism and pivots the gate into an open position. The gate actuator device maintains the gate in an open position until the coke restrained thereby flows by gravity from the inclined wharf onto the moving belt conveyor. The remotely actuated arm member thereafter closes the gate and is disengaged from the coke oven gate. The gate actuator device is thereafter moved longitudinally by the trolley mechanism to another station where the sequence is repeated to discharge additional coke onto the moving endless belt conveyor.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a movable gate actuator mechanism that is operable to selectively actuate a series of gate mechanisms.

Another object ofthis invention is to provide a means for selectively positioning a gate opening device in operative relation with any one of a series of coke Wharf gates.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary device movable longitudinally relative to a series of coke 3,26%,9ih Patented Aug. I7, 1965 wharf gates that includes means for opening and closing the gates.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an inclined coke wharf illustrating the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 in FIGURE 1 illustrating the actuator mechanism engaging a portion of the coke wharf gate.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed view in front elevation of the trolley mechanism for the gate actuator device.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the trolley mechanism illustrated in FIGURE 3 with the gate actuator mechanism removed.

FIGURE 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a view in end elevation of the trolley mechanism taken along the line 6-6 in FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the inclined coke wharf 10 is of conventional construction and has an upper longitudinal edge 12 and a lower longitudinal edge 14. Positioned parallel to the upper longitudinal edge 12 are rails 16 on which the quench car moves relative to the Wharf 1t) and dumps the coke on preselected portions of the wharf 10. Positioned below the lower longitudinal edge 14 there is an endless conveyor belt 18 that conveys the coke from the wharf 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 1. The coke is stored on the wharf 10 by a series of gates 20 adjacent the wharf lower edge 14. By selectively opening the gates 20 the coke behind the respective gate flows by gravity from the wharf 10 onto the conveyor belt 18.

FIGURE 2 illustrates in side elevation the construction of the gate and the gate hinge or pivot mechanism.

, Spaced laterally from the coke wharf lower edge on the opposite side of the conveyor 13 there is a vertical post 22 that is part of the superstructure with the horizontal beam 24 illustrated in FIGURE 2. Extending laterally from the vertical post 22 there is a plate 26 to which the gate mechanism 29 is hingedly secured. A vertical plate 28 is secured to the supports 26 to which the gate mechanism 26 is hingedly secured. The vertical plate 28 serves also as a back-up plate to direct the coke discharged from the wharf 10 onto the conveyor belt 18. The longitudinal plate 28 has a laterally extending vertical plate 3th with an aperture 32 therethrough. The gate 24 has a curved platelike body portion 34 with a pair of pivot arms 36 extending rearwardly therefrom. The pivot arms are pivotally secured to the plate 30 by means of a pin extending through the aperture 32 and a mating aperture in the pivot arms 36. Thus the gate body portion 34 is free to pivot in a clockwise direction about the pivot axis designated by the pin extending through the aperture to permit the coke to flow from the wharf 10. The arrangement of the pivot arms 36 is such that the gate body portion 34 is in a normally closed position, asis illustrated in full lines in FIGURE 2. Secured to the pivot arms 36 is a vertically extending frame member 33 which forms a manually operable control device for the gate 20. There is provided (not shown in the drawings) a catwalk or passageway above the beam 24 on which an operator can walk longitudinally along the coke wharf and, when required,

can open the gates 20 by grasping the horizontal portion of frame 38 and pivoting the gate 20 in a clockwise direcwise direction. pivot 32 and the weight of gate 20, the gate 20 will move the gate 34. Thus a downward force exerted on the angle 44 by the actuator will pivot the gate 34 in a clock- Because of the relative position of the into a closed position when not urged in a downward direction by the mechanical actuator. With this arrangement each of the gates 20 has associated therewith a frame member 40 and an upwardly facing angle 44 so that by exerting a downward force on the respective angles 44 the gates 28 can be opened and maintained in an open position as long as a downward force is maintained thereon by the gate actuator mechanism.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 there is illustrated a gate actuator device that includes a trolley mechanism generally designated by the numeral 46 mounted on a longitudinally extending rail 48. The trolley mechanism, as will be later described in greater detail, moves longitudinally relative to the lower edge of the wharf and includes a gate actuator mechanism generally designated by the numeral 50. The gate actuator mechanism is arranged to engage the upwardly facing angles 44 on the respective frames 40 and open the gates 20 associated therewith.

The trolley 46 is propelled along the rail 48 by an endless cable 52 secured at one end 54 to the trolley 46 and reeved around a pulley 56 at the other end of the coke wharf 10. The cable 52 is reeved about a drive pulley 58 mounted on a speed reducer 60 at the other end of the coke wharf 10. The other end 62 of cable 52 is connected to the trolley 46. A motor, diagrammatically illustrated at 64 on speed reducer 60, is arranged to drive the drive pulley 58 and thereby, by means of cable 52, move the trolley 46 longitudinally relative to the coke wharf 10. p

The detailed construction of the trolley 46, rail 48 and gate actuator mechanism 58 is illustrated in FIGURES 3-6. The rail 48 is a built up I beam having a vertical plate body portion 66 (FIGURES 5 and 6) and a pair of elongated bars 68 and 70. The bars 68 and 70 are substantially rectangular in cross section and have planar vertical sides and a planar top and bottom surface on which are guided the wheels of trolley 46. Suitable support means are provided to maintain the rail 48 in spaced relation to the coke wharf 10. Although the rail 48 is described as a built up I beam having bars of substantially r rectangular cross section, it should be understood that other suitable configurations, such as T rails or the like, may be used.

The trolley 46 is mounted on the rail 48 and includes a frame member having a pair of horizontal members 72 and 74 and a pair of vertical members 76 and 78. The vertical member 76 has an upper horizontal caster or wheel 88 rotatably secured thereto by means of pin 82 and is arranged to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane. Extending rearwardly from the upper member 72 a there is a channel shaped member 84 (FIGURE 6) which houses a second upper wheel 86 which is also rotatably secured to the channel member 84 by means of a pin 88. The wheel 86 is arranged to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane and in the same horizontal plane as wheel 7 88. Adjustment means 98 is provided to move the wheel toward and away from the rectangular bars 68. The

'wheels 88 and 86 are arranged to abut the vertical sides 1 of the bars 68. Similarly there is provided a lower wheel 96 is associated with the pin 94 and is arranged to move the wheel 92 horizontally relative to the vertical'member 76. The horizontal member 74 has a channel shaped .member 98 secured thereto on the opposite side of rectangular bar 70 and is arranged to rotatably support a wheel 1% on a pin 182. The member 72 is channel shaped and has a wheel 184 rotatably supported on a pin 186 for rotation relative thereto. The wheel 104 is arranged to ride on the upper surface of rail bars 68.

The lower member 74 is channel shaped and also sup ports a wheel 188 on a horizontal pin 110. Adjustment means 112 are provided to adjust the position of wheel 108 relative to bar 78. The vertical member 78 is similar in construction to the member 76 and also includes pairs of horizontal wheels 114 and 116 which abut the vertical sides of bar 68 and wheels 118 (only one of which is illustrated in FIGURE 3) are similarly arranged as wheels 92 and 180. The previously mentioned horizontally positioned wheels provide lateral stability for the trolley 46 as it moves longitudinally on the rail 48 and as the actuating mechanism 50 actuates the respective gate mechanisms to open the gate 20. The horizontal member 72 has a second upper wheel 120 which is aligned with wheel 104 and is rotatably mounted on pin 122.- Thus wheels 104 and 120 ride on the upper surface of bar 68 to support the trolley 46 as it is propelled longitudinally along the rail 48. The horizontal member 74 has another wheel 124 that is similar to wheel 108 and is adjustably mounted on a horizontal pin 126 to permit adjustment of wheel 124 relative to the lower surface of rectangular bar 70. With this arrangement trolley 46 is maintained in a fixed vertical and lateral position relative to rail 48. The wheels 104, 120, 108 and 124 maintain the trolley 46 in fixed horizontal relation to the rail 48. The pairs of wheels 80, 86, 92, 100 at one end of trolley 46 and similar Wheels at the other end of trolley 46 ride on the vertical side walls of members 68 and 70 to maintain is a support plate 128 on which there is mounted a hydraulic pump 130 driven by an electric motor 132. Current is supplied to motor 132 through three conductors 134, 136, and 138 illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. The hydraulic pump 130 supplies hydraulic fluid under pressure to the actuator mechanism generally designated by the numeral 50.

A pair of angles 140 and 142 are secured to the members 72 and 74 and extend vertically on trolley 46 in parallel spaced relation to each other and serve as a mounting means for the actuator 50. The actuator 50 includes a hydraulic cylinder 144 that is mounted in annular frame 146 that has laterally extending pins 148 and 150. The pins are supported in bearings 152 and 154 so that the cylinder is free to pivot about the axis of pins 148 and 150. The bearings 152 and 154 are supported by suitable take-up type support devices 156 and 158 that are secured to the faces of angles 140 and 142. The take-up devices include adjusting screws 160 and 162 suitably secured in threaded apertures in take-up devices 156 and 158. Thus by rotation of screws 160 and 162 the bearings 152 and 154 may be adjusted vertically relative to the supports 1526 and 158 to move cylinder 144 vertically on trolley Within the cylinder 144 there is a piston 164 that has a piston rod 166 extending outwardly from the cylinder 144. Connected to the end of rod 166 is a clevis coupling 168 which supports an actuator wheel 170. The actuator wheel 170 is arranged to abut the open face of angle 44 of frame 40 on wharf gates 20, as is illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 3,. and is free to rotate relative to the clevis coupling 168. Suitable conduits (not shown) connect 70 i the hydraulic cylinder 144 with the hydraulic pump 130 so that hydraulic fluid under pressure can be supplied to the cylinder 144 in a known manner to move the piston 164 within the cylinder 144. 7

Although a hydraulic cylinder 144 is illustrated in FIG URE 3, it should be understood that other suitable actu ater means may be provided, as, for example, an electric .cylinder sold by the Raco Machine Company, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, which transmits the rotary motion ofan electric motor into linear motion through a threaded rod or tube connected to the rotor portion of an electric motor. Thus with the electric cylinder the electric motor 132 and hydraulic pump 130 are eliminated and suitable electric power may be provided for the electric cylinder through the conductors 134, 136, and 138.

There is provided a pair of trough shaped support member172 and v174' that extend longitudinally along the coke oven wharf adjacent the rail 48 and support the upper and lower runs of cable 52. Although not illustrated, it should be understood that suitable controls such as limit switches either at each gate 20 or a cam type limit switch at the cable drum 50 may be provided to properly position the trolley 46 so that the actuator wheel 170 is in proper overlying relation with the upwardly facing angle 44 connected to the respective coke oven gate frame 40. Also, other suitable control means may be provided for actuating the gate actuator mechanism 50 to open a gate, maintain the gate in open position and close the gate by removing thedownward force exerted by the actuator wheel 170.

Although not illustrated, it should also be understood that suitable spray or cooling means may be provided for the coke on the wharf and also for the conveyor belt 18. Thermo responsive devices may also-be provided to automatically actuate the cooling means to further cool the coke deposited on. the wharf 10.

Operation Referring to FIGURE 1, the gate actuator mechanism moves longitudinally on rail 48 and is positioned by suitable switches or other indicating means, in overlying relation with the open face of channel 44 of the respective gate that is to .be opened. The electric motor 132 is then energized to actuate hydraulic pump 130 and supply fluid under pressure to the upper portion of hydraulic cylinder 144 of actuator mechanism 50. The hydraulic pressure moves the piston 164 and rod 166 downwardly until wheel 170 abuts the open faced angle 44 on the frame 40 of the respective coke gate 20. Continued downward movement of the wheel 170 pivots the gate into an open position, as is illustrated in phantom lines in FIGURE 2. The cylinder 144 pivots in the bearings 152 and 154 so that the actuator wheel 170 remains within the recessed portion of angle 44 and maintains the coke oven gate 20 in an open position. After the coke held back by the gate 20 has been deposited on the conveyor 18, the hydraulic pressure within the cylinder 144 is reversed so that the piston 164 moves upwardly in cylinder 144 and relieves the downward pressure exerted by wheel 170 on the angle 44. The gate 20 by its own weight then pivots .about the pivot axis 32 and again abuts the wharf 10 in its normal closed position. The motor 64 is thereafter energized to move the trolley 46 along the rail 48 to a new station where the actuator mechanism 50 repeats its cycle and opens another coke wharf door to permit the coke restrained by the door to be deposited on the conveyor belt 18.

With the apparatus herein described, a single gate actuator mechanism is now utilized to open and close all of the gates on a coke wharf. The apparatus may be fully automated with suitable controls so that the gates may be opened in a preselected sequence. The single gate actuator eliminates the manual opening of each gate by an operator and further eliminates the separate actuators at each gate. The above described apparatus may be used for opening a series of gates in a bin or a series of gates along an inclined plane used for the storage of particulate material. The gate mechanism may be utilized to discharge the particulate material into barges, railroad cars, trucks or other conveyances, and it should be understood that the herein described apparatus is not intended to be 6 restricted to the discharging of material onto a conveyor mechanism.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the

principal, preferred construction, and mode of operation of the invention have been explained, and what is now considered to represent its best embodiment has been illustrated and described. However, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended-claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a material handling apparatus the combination comprising,

an inclined coke wharf having a lower longitudinal edge portion,

a plurality of gates positioned linearly adjacent said wharf lower edge portion said gates operable in a closed position to retain coke on said coke Wharf,

each of said gates pivotally secured to a. support member and having a frame member extending laterally therefrom, said frame member having a cross member arranged substantially parallel to said coke wharf lower edge portion,

each of said gates arranged to move upwardly away from said coke wharf upon downward movement of said frame cross member,

an endless belt conveyor positioned below said coke wharf lower longitudinal edge portion in parallel relation thereto, said endless conveyor means arranged to convey coke discharged from the lower longitudinal edge of said coke-wharf to another location,

a guide member positioned parallel to said coke wharf lower longitudinal edge portion,

a trolley member supported by said guide member and movable longitudinally thereon,

a gate actuator mechanism carried by said trolley and movable therewith, said gate actuator mechanism operable upon actuation to move said frame cross member downwardly to open a gate and discharge coke retained on said wharf by said gate onto said endless belt conveyor mechanism, and

means for propelling said trolley member on said guide member to selectively position said gate actuator mechanism in operative relation with a preselected gate.

2. A material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said guide member includes an elongated rail having a vertical plate portion and a pair of elongated rail portions extending from the top and bottom edges of said vertical plate portions, said rail portions being substantially rectangular in cross section and having planar vertical surfaces and a planar horizontal surface.

3. A material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said guide member includes an elongated rail having a vertical plate portion and a pair of elongated rail portions extending from the top and bottom edges of said vertical plate portions, said rail portions being substantially rectangular in cross section and having planar vertical surfaces and a planar horizontal surface, said trolley member having a plurality of guide wheels abutting said vertical surfaces and said horizontal surfaces of said elongated rail portions, said guide Wheels arranged to maintain the longitudinal axis of said trolley member parallel to the longitudinal axis of said guide member.

4. A material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said gates actuator mechanism includes a rod member depending downwardly therefrom,

means to move said rod member relative to said trolley member to engage a portion of said gate and move said gate away from said coke wharf lower edge portion to thereby discharge coke retained on said wharf by said gate.

5. In a material handling apparatus the combination comprising,

an inclined coke wharf having a lower longitudinal edge portion,

a plurality of gates positioned linearly adjacent said wharf lower edge portion, said gates operable in a closed position to retain coke on said coke wharf, each of said gates pivotally secured to a support member,

each of said gates having a frame member extending laterally therefrom, said frame member having a cross member arranged substantially parallel to said coke wharf lower edge portion,

each of said gates arranged to move upwardly away from said coke wharf upon downward movement of said frame cross member,

an endless belt conveyor positioned below said coke wharf lower longitudinal edge portion in parallel relation thereto, said endless belt conveyor arranged to convey coke discharged from the lower longitudinal edge of said coke wharf to another location,

a guide rail positioned parallel to said coke wharf lower edge portion,

trolley supported on said rail and arranged to move longitudinally on said rail relative to said coke wharf lower longitudinal edge portion,

a gate actuator mechanism carried by said trolley and movable therewith, said gate actuator mechanism including a housing pivotally secured to said trolley member, said housing arranged to pivot about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said trolley,

a rod member extending from said housing and reciprocally movable relative thereto,

means to move said rod member relative to said housing,

said gate actuator mechanism rod end portion arranged to engage said .gate frame cross member and upon movement of said rod member relative to said housing, operable to move said frame cross member downwardly to open said gate and discharge coke retained on said wharf .by said gate, and

means for propelling said trolley member on said guide member to selectively position said gate actuator mechanism so that said rod member end portion is in overlying relation with said gate frame cross member.

6. A material handling apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which said means for propelling said trolley member includes,

a cable secured by its end portions to opposite longitudinal ends of said trolley member,

said cable extending around an idler pulley positioned adjacent one end of said coke wharf, said cable ext-ending around a drive pu'lley positioned adjacent the other end of said coke wharf, and drive means for said drive pulley arranged to propel said trolley member longitudinally relative said coke wharf longitudinal edge portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, AN INCLINED COKE WHARF HAVING A LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION, A PLURALITY OF GATES POSITIONED LINEARLY ADJACENT SAID WHARF LOWER EDGE PORTION SAID GATES OPERABLE IN A CLOSED POSITION TO RETAIN COKE ON SAID COKE WHARF, EACH OF SAID GATES PIVOTALLY SECURED TO A SUPPORT MEMBER AND HAVING A FRAME MEMBER EXTENDING LTERALLY THEREFROM, SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVING A CROSS MEMBER ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID COKE WHARF LOWER EDGE PORTION, EACH OF USAID GATES ARRANGED TO MOVE UPWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID COKE WHARF UPON DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME CROSS MEMBER, AN ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR POSITIONED BELOW SAID COKE WHARF LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION IN PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR MEANS ARRANGED TO CONVEY COKE DISCHARGED FROM THE LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID COKE WHARF TO ANOTHER LOCATION, A GUIDE MEMBER POSITIONED PARALLEL TO SAID COKE WHARF LOWER LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION, A TROLLEY MEMBER SUPPORTED BY SAID GUIDE MEMBER ANND MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY THEREON, A GATE ACTUATOR MECHANISM CARRIED BY SAID TROLLEY AND MOVABLE THEREWITH, SAID GATE ACTUATOR MECHANISM OPERABLE UPON ACTUATION TO MOVE SAID FRAME CROSS MEMBER DOWNWARDLY TO OPEN A GATE AND DISCHARGE COKE RETAINED ON SAID WHARF BY SAI GATE ONTO SAID ENDLESS BELT CONVEYOR MECHANISM, AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING SAID TROLLEY MEMBER ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO SELECTIVELY POSITION SAID GATE ACUTATOR MECHANISM IN OPERATIVE RELATION WITH A PRESELECTED GATE. 